It's a mad, mad, mad, mad Bill Murray world

Get ready to color outside the lines. “Thrill Murray” is a coloring book set to pay tribute to Bill Murray, one of the greatest actors of my lifetime, with inspired illustrations of this actor by various artists. Aside from your run-of-the-mill Murray fans, this book is also for the “young, old, middle-aged, bored, hyped or mildly interested.” While this isn’t the sort of material found in the coloring book section of your local bookstore, and as bizarre as this is one some level, I have a feeling that Bill Murray would approve. There have long been loud whispers around the Web of Murray’s behavior in public. It’s not the sort of negative stuff that would land him on TMZ. Instead the prankster actor seems to pop up in unexpected places and his encounters with the public often fall somewhere between whimsical to eccentric performance art that leaves people surprised with a cool story that none of their friends would ever believe.

Here’s a photo of Murray hanging out backstage at Letterman with the members of Girls Generation. If you’re asking “Girls huh?” They’re only like one of the biggest pop acts in Korea and Asia.

Murray is co-owner, and Director of Fun, for the Charleston RiverDogs, a minor league baseball team in the South Atlantic League (he also has ownership in 3 other minor league teams). Here’s his funny speech at the ceremony inducting him into that league’s Hall of Fame. And here’s a video of the Director of Fun in action during a rain delay at a game.

You’re a bartender showing up for your shift at the bar while SXSW is going on. It’s busy. Next thing you know Bill Murray is next to you helping you serve drinks. Here’s the video evidence.

The most famous is this story that has become a bit of an amazing urban myth: “It was late one night, a few years ago, when a young man was walking through Union Square Park. He suddenly felt someone behind him, their hands over his eyes. When he turned in surprise, there was Bill Murray, his creased face leaning in close. Bill whispered, “No one is ever going to believe you,” and then just walked away.”